Jean-François Plante's recipe

Preparation: 20 min • Cooking Time: 4 min • Wait Time: 2 hr • Servings: 4

Ingredients:  

250 g (½ Ib.) halloumi cheese (Fromagerie Boivin)

Mint and mango sauce vierge

½ yellow or red bell pepper, finely chopped

Flesh of 1 Italian tomato, finely diced

1 small ripe mango, peeled and finely diced

3 tbsp. red onion, finely diced

2 tbsp. small capers

1 small garlic clove, freshly pressed

1 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped

2 tsp. fresh mint, finely chopped

80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil (Sous les oliviers)

Juice of ½ a lemon

Black pepper

Arugula garnish

1 cup baby arugula

A few fresh mint leaves

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions: 

1. Cut halloumi into 4 slices about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick each. Place in a bowl, cover with fresh water and let stand for 2 hours at room temperature to remove excess salt. 

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine ingredients for sauce vierge. Set aside at room temperature.

3. In another bowl, combine ingredients for arugula garnish. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

4. Remove cheese slices from water and pat dry with paper towels. Heat a lightly oiled grill pan over medium heat. Add halloumi slices and grill for 1 minute, turning 90 degrees halfway through to get a nice criss-cross pattern. Repeat on other side.

5. Lay out 4 plates and place a slice of grilled cheese in the middle of each. Top each with a heaping tablespoon of sauce vierge and a handful of arugula garnish.